Great writing. Although the topic was a bummer to read as I drink my morning coffee I think it's a topic that must be acknowledged. As someone patiently (not) waiting for our move in 2024 it is both disspiriting and infuriating to watch our Titanic of a Democracy head toward the iceberg while our so called Captains look away or even worse actively steer us towards the crash. It leaves me feeling impotent and looking for a life raft.
We mourn for the loss of civility, common sense, bipartisanship and the collective goals
of sufficiency. We mourn for the future and for those so severely abused and disenfranchised as colonization spread.. however,, as the book 'Joy' (conversawithe the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu notes, we must acknobeing broken hearted while not breaking. I am struggling daily with walking away from the country of my citizenship because I too fear it will break me. Thank you for your thoughtful writings and sharing the information about the rise of the Chega party...
Thank you Nancy!! What a nice, although depressing, analysis. We are on our way there in February - not for good yet, but first steps. Thanks for your writing and keeping us motivated.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, even if it is not fully understood. My husband and I have been planning on moving to Portugal for 2 years but the pandemic has delayed our move. Our original intention was for a lower cost of living as we just retired, but more and more are motivations are political. I am equally disgusted with both parties here in the US.
Thank you Nancy, I appreciate your research and summary of national politics in Portugal. Your comparisons with the United States were thought provoking for me personally. Though I have chosen to live in Portugal, I am no less interested and concerned about America, and perhaps even more so because of the distance and objectivity. I also thought about my life and what positive impact I might have in the world. After less than a year living in Portugal, I'm starting to feel I can do some good here as a newcomer. It brightens my spirit. It's still the honeymoon period but might as well enjoy!
I feel your pain; you nailed it as far as an general sense of malaise in the US; however, happily I don’t find that sense to be overwhelming, especially when traveling throughout the country. I am personally keeping myself informed through my local newspaper, the San Diego Tribune, and less partisan online news sources such as the 1440 Daily Digest and Morning Dispatch, plus daily I enjoy a number of Washington Post writers. I focus on the things in my life that I am incredibly grateful for and minimize my energy with people, including cable news, that sucks energy from me. Just so you don’t think I stick my head in the sand, I’m currently reading Fiona Hill’s latest book, There Is Nothing For You Here. It’s excellent and yikes! this woman is unrated in my opinion.
Hello, thank you for the information. I am heading to Portugal in March to search for a place to rent. I don't know if my fear is of the unknown in Portugal or what is happening right in front of our eyes here in America. The prices have sky rocketed in just weeks. I pray Portugal stays at a comfortable place 🙏.
Great post Nancy. I am too watching the election here in Portugal and trying to understand where it leaves us. Your reflection on the US makes me think of the Ben Franklin quote "A Republic, if you can keep it." This quote is a recognition that the republic was/is a fragile thing. It requires vigilance to maintain it.
Right now I see the problem in the US as having two parts. First, lack of trust. Gallup's recent poll has approval of Congress at 18%. If four out of five Americans don't trust or approve of their elected officials, whatever laws that come forward will be viewed as corrupt and self-serving at worst or with skepticism at best.
Second, the values of Americans are radically different. For example the idea of "we" is not an idea all Americans agree on. Red States and Blue States don't agree on what "we" means.
The US balkanizing into regions or states becoming more like countries may not be the worst thing as long as it is a peaceful transition, unfortunately these transitions rarely are peaceful.
Nancy I agree with all you have said and am quite sad that we are having this happen in our beautiful country. I hold some hope with the January 6th committee. I’m hoping for prison for those involved straight to the top. But know even then there is a potential back lash from the 25% that are okay with violence against the government. Potential civil war.
thanks for this post...yes, the parliamentary system very different than US republic - the parties actually have to work together since no party has a majority to form a government. Interesting show on netflix 'borgen' can be illustrative of how parliamentary systems work - and interesting drama from a liberal democracy.
The US is a dying empire - and the resistance and grasping is desperate for those who have lived with such unearned privilege that extending so-called equal rights (not that it is) makes it 'feel' like losing something they are owed. The Rs attempts to limit voting in states, claim fraud in elections, disenfranchise etc is working, unfortunately - and the US will either become history or it will take a generation or more to recover from 45 and his fomenting of hate and division.
I read Heather Cox Richardson every day to get all the news I need...and even she is starting to sound depressed...
I'm not a wealthy American, but am 100% in favor of socialism. All people* in Portugal deserve to have a decent minimum standard of living. As much as taxes are difficult to pay out of my just survivable income, I am happy to pay them to help others rise up. *All people everywhere deserve it. However, I won't address the U.S. Socialism is a dirty word, and seems like it forever will be. [Discosure: not in Portugal]
Great writing. Although the topic was a bummer to read as I drink my morning coffee I think it's a topic that must be acknowledged. As someone patiently (not) waiting for our move in 2024 it is both disspiriting and infuriating to watch our Titanic of a Democracy head toward the iceberg while our so called Captains look away or even worse actively steer us towards the crash. It leaves me feeling impotent and looking for a life raft.
We mourn for the loss of civility, common sense, bipartisanship and the collective goals
of sufficiency. We mourn for the future and for those so severely abused and disenfranchised as colonization spread.. however,, as the book 'Joy' (conversawithe the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu notes, we must acknobeing broken hearted while not breaking. I am struggling daily with walking away from the country of my citizenship because I too fear it will break me. Thank you for your thoughtful writings and sharing the information about the rise of the Chega party...
Thank you Nancy!! What a nice, although depressing, analysis. We are on our way there in February - not for good yet, but first steps. Thanks for your writing and keeping us motivated.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, even if it is not fully understood. My husband and I have been planning on moving to Portugal for 2 years but the pandemic has delayed our move. Our original intention was for a lower cost of living as we just retired, but more and more are motivations are political. I am equally disgusted with both parties here in the US.
Thank you Nancy, I appreciate your research and summary of national politics in Portugal. Your comparisons with the United States were thought provoking for me personally. Though I have chosen to live in Portugal, I am no less interested and concerned about America, and perhaps even more so because of the distance and objectivity. I also thought about my life and what positive impact I might have in the world. After less than a year living in Portugal, I'm starting to feel I can do some good here as a newcomer. It brightens my spirit. It's still the honeymoon period but might as well enjoy!
I feel your pain; you nailed it as far as an general sense of malaise in the US; however, happily I don’t find that sense to be overwhelming, especially when traveling throughout the country. I am personally keeping myself informed through my local newspaper, the San Diego Tribune, and less partisan online news sources such as the 1440 Daily Digest and Morning Dispatch, plus daily I enjoy a number of Washington Post writers. I focus on the things in my life that I am incredibly grateful for and minimize my energy with people, including cable news, that sucks energy from me. Just so you don’t think I stick my head in the sand, I’m currently reading Fiona Hill’s latest book, There Is Nothing For You Here. It’s excellent and yikes! this woman is unrated in my opinion.
Hello, thank you for the information. I am heading to Portugal in March to search for a place to rent. I don't know if my fear is of the unknown in Portugal or what is happening right in front of our eyes here in America. The prices have sky rocketed in just weeks. I pray Portugal stays at a comfortable place 🙏.
Best to all of us
Stacy
Great post Nancy. I am too watching the election here in Portugal and trying to understand where it leaves us. Your reflection on the US makes me think of the Ben Franklin quote "A Republic, if you can keep it." This quote is a recognition that the republic was/is a fragile thing. It requires vigilance to maintain it.
Right now I see the problem in the US as having two parts. First, lack of trust. Gallup's recent poll has approval of Congress at 18%. If four out of five Americans don't trust or approve of their elected officials, whatever laws that come forward will be viewed as corrupt and self-serving at worst or with skepticism at best.
Second, the values of Americans are radically different. For example the idea of "we" is not an idea all Americans agree on. Red States and Blue States don't agree on what "we" means.
I expect to see states to act more like countries going forward. Some cities are even trying to attract and reward citizens for coming and staying there, à la Miami. https://www.axios.com/mayors-see-cryptocurrency-as-a-way-to-address-income-inequality-836050df-2108-4c30-a6ff-fe2324f691c2.html
The US balkanizing into regions or states becoming more like countries may not be the worst thing as long as it is a peaceful transition, unfortunately these transitions rarely are peaceful.
Nancy I agree with all you have said and am quite sad that we are having this happen in our beautiful country. I hold some hope with the January 6th committee. I’m hoping for prison for those involved straight to the top. But know even then there is a potential back lash from the 25% that are okay with violence against the government. Potential civil war.
We mourn too my sweet, and that’s why we’re coming to join you soon.
thanks for this post...yes, the parliamentary system very different than US republic - the parties actually have to work together since no party has a majority to form a government. Interesting show on netflix 'borgen' can be illustrative of how parliamentary systems work - and interesting drama from a liberal democracy.
The US is a dying empire - and the resistance and grasping is desperate for those who have lived with such unearned privilege that extending so-called equal rights (not that it is) makes it 'feel' like losing something they are owed. The Rs attempts to limit voting in states, claim fraud in elections, disenfranchise etc is working, unfortunately - and the US will either become history or it will take a generation or more to recover from 45 and his fomenting of hate and division.
I read Heather Cox Richardson every day to get all the news I need...and even she is starting to sound depressed...
I read her to and unfortunately the repetition is deafening
I'm not a wealthy American, but am 100% in favor of socialism. All people* in Portugal deserve to have a decent minimum standard of living. As much as taxes are difficult to pay out of my just survivable income, I am happy to pay them to help others rise up. *All people everywhere deserve it. However, I won't address the U.S. Socialism is a dirty word, and seems like it forever will be. [Discosure: not in Portugal]